"The protest was held throughout Punjab that day. We took black flags to tell the world that this is no democracy and we are living in times when Kashmir is curbed from its rights and Kashmiris are shut down from the world," Kanupriya said.

Kanupriya (front row extreme left) with the Dal Khalsa members during the protest on Independence Day. (Photo: Facebook @Dal Khalsa)

ABVP members of Panjab University on Saturday alleged that former president of Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) Kanupriya boycotted Independence day celebrations and protested for a referendum in favour of a separate Punjab.

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They allege that she has disrespected the country’s independence by tagging Independence Day as a “black day”.

ABVP PU president Kuldeep Panghal said, “We strongly condemn the action and we want clarification from the so called student party SFS on the issue pertaining to unity and integrity of the country.” ABVP’s PU secretary Parvinder Singh urged the university authorities to take stringent action against SFS, the students’ union which Kanupriya represents.

When contacted, Kanupriya said, “On 15th August I was in Amritsar. The protest was held throughout Punjab that day. We took black flags to tell the world that this is no democracy and we are living in times when Kashmir is curbed from its rights and Kashmiris are shut down from the world. Dal Khalsa was sharing its solidarity with Kashmir. The protest was not just about Punjab being free. The protest was talking equally about Punjab, Manipur, Kashmir, Nagaland and Chhattisgarh.”

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ABVP on Saturday had shared pictures in which Kanupriya could be seen being a part of the protest and holding posters demanding a referendum. To this Kanupriya said, “Why do they fear words like referendum and plebiscite? They are democratic words. India being the largest democracy should not be afraid to implement democracy to the roots.”

Later, in a statement, SFS said, “Our member Kanupriya participated in the protest held in 14 districts of Punjab against the 72 years of injustice and subjugation by Indian state on various religious linguistic and cultural minorities of India in the name of ‘nationalism’. The protest was organised by different Sikh Organizations. SFS has common understanding with the issues raised in the protest as well as ideological differences with the other organizations involved in it. SFS stands for the Right of Self Determination for the different nationalities historically existed in the India.”